Exercise Programs

For some, exercise programs may be the most threatening word in the dictionary because it makes them lose their composure. When the word exercise program is mentioned, don’t you imagine months - nay, make that into years of endless frustration and feelings of helplessness – it’s like reaching for the stars, for something equally unreachable, like being Brad Pitt’s girlfriend and feeling like you’re going nowhere. And for most people, that’s exactly what they go through when they start an exercise program.

Although they’re doing exactly what their trainers and the fitness experts advise them to do, they feel that there’s still something missing, there’s still something that they’re not doing right. And maybe, it’s because with fitness – it has to be something you clearly want to do in order to be effective.

It can’t be something that you’re forced to do. Fitness is a long term path and it’s nothing like visiting your favorite cosmetic surgeon and asking for a liposuction. Think of it as a type of mortgage or a relationship if you want. There are short term loans (payday loans) and there are long term loans (house mortgages).

There are relationships that are meant to last forever – and this usually end with a till death do us part bit – and there are relationships that we aptly call one night stands. Fitness on the other hand has only one classification and for certain, it’s meant to be a lifelong affair. Sure, if you just aim to lose an inch off your waist or three pounds overall, that’s okay – exercise may then be classified as short-term but I bet that’s not just what you have in mind, right? And since it’s the long term type of fitness that your situation is in need of, I hope you understand that no matter how many sit-ups and crunches you do, it will still take you time and a great deal of effort in your part before you achieve whatever you’ve set out for.

When it comes to exercising, I think you have to make sure that you always reward yourself from time to time. Unless you’re genuinely enthusiastic about the prospect of undergoing physical torture day after day, most probably you’re just looking forward to the day you could give up those dumbbells for good. But if you want to stay trim, you may have to accept that those heavy objects could be a permanent fixture in your life. Rewarding yourself is just a form of motivation so that you’ll work out more.

And oh, you still need to diet!